Boil water notices remain in effect for Coeburn and Pound in the wake of problems associated with a succession of snowstorms in recent weeks. Meanwhile, emergency food distributions are planned this week.
COEBURN
Town water customers are urged to continue boiling tap water before personal use or to use another water source. The boil notice will remain in effect until Thursday at 6 p.m. if tests show the water is safe to drink, according to Town Manager Drew Mullins.
At about 9 p.m. Thursday, the water plant saw a dramatic increase in output, indicating a serious leak, Mullins explained in an email. Repairs began an hour later.
The leak was about 1.5 miles from the water plant at a depth of about 13 feet, Mullins explained.
The plant resumed normal operations around 7 a.m. Friday, he said. A boil notice was issued as a precaution because of low water pressure in higher elevations.
POUND
As of Monday, water service had been restored to all customers but the boil notice remained in effect, Mayor and interim Manager George Dean reported.
“It ain’t perfect but they got it,” Dean said, noting that the town “is still in diversionary mode” as it tries to isolate certain parts of the water distribution system to identify and fix leaks.
To run the bacterial samples required as part of lifting the boil notice, he said, “the whole system has to be up and operational in normal mode. I can’t say we are there right now.”
The town has identified a leak search area, pinpointed and addressed several while still working on others, he said.
FOOD
The Food Bank of Wise County, despite the loss of its building to a heavy snow roof collapse, will hold an emergency food distribution for citizens who have been served through the Esserville branch. The event is today, 9:30-11:30 a.m., in the Wise Food City parking lot.
Meanwhile, because of the food bank’s weather-related struggles and many citizens in need of food because of the snowstorms, Family Crisis Support Services will distribute milk, eggs, bread and peanut butter at the Red Barn Thrift Store Wednesday, March 4, 1-4 p.m. The store is in the Magic Mart shopping center in Norton.